Source of Strength of the Lord's Associates is the Lord Himself

Arjuna blew a conchshell called Devadatta. Arjuna is referred to as Dhananjaya because he helped his elder brother (Yudhisthira) in fetching wealth when it was required by the king to make expenditures for different sacrifices (yajna). Arjuna’s conchshell was given to him as a gift by Maya Danava. This Maya Danava was the master of illusions and the architect of an extraordinary assembly hall at Indraprastha (near today’s Delhi) as the seat of capital of the Pandavas. Maya Danava found the conchshell from Bindu Sarovar to the east of Mount Kailash and presented the same to Arjuna. The sound of the conchshell could break the heart of any opponent as per Mahabharata.

Bhima is known as Vrkodara because he could eat as voraciously as he could perform Herculean tasks, such as killing the demon Hidimba. He blew the terrific conchshell called Paundra. King Yudhisthira blew Anantavijaya. The other Pandavas and the associate archers too blew their conchshells. All these names are mentioned in the verses (slokas) to indicate their relationship with the Lord. Everything and everyone connected with Lord Sri Krishna becomes Krishna or Krishnized or Krishna conscious.

Arjuna and associates were all very powerful. Nobody can be associate of Lord Krishna without being very, very much advanced. Just like fire can mix with fire, water can mix with water; similarly, unless one is transcendentally advanced, he cannot be associate of Lord Krishna. Hence the conchshells blown by the different personalities on the side of the Pandavas, beginning with the Lord’s, were all very encouraging to the fighting soldiers. The message announced by the sounds of the conchshells was the predestined victory in battle due to the presence of Lord Krishna, the supreme director and the husband of the goddess of fortune.

When Bhisma and the others on the side of Duryodhana blew their respective conchshells, there was no heart-breaking on the part of the Pandavas. Vibrating both in the sky and on the earth, the uproarious sounds of the conshells of the Pandavas shattered the hearts of the sons of Dhrtrarastra. This is due to the confidence of the Pandavas in Lord Krishna. One who takes shelter of the Supreme Lord has nothing to fear, even in the midst of the greatest calamity.